The Great Digital Transformation Debate

Researchers investigating some of humanity’s most vexing diseases began reaching out 20 years ago to nerds, gamers and even giant high-tech corporations across the world, hoping to borrow unused time on their computers. They signed up thousands, who donated their computing power so the scientists could better research cancer, Alzheimer’s and the Ebola virus, among others.

Now those scientists have turned their attention to the new coronavirus.

“We’re the largest beer company in the world and the largest user of malting barley, so when you think about where investment into breeding research or the supporting tech comes from, if we’re not going to do it, who will?” 

Katie Hoard, global director of Agricultural Innovation & Sustainability at Anheuser-Busch InBev is speaking to AgFunder about the company’s recent partnership with Sentera, a drone imagery analytics company.

The coronavirus hit Seattle hard and early, and by mid-March it was clear that hospitals were dangerously low on protective gear. One looming crisis was the disposable paper hoods used as part of a positive air pressure respiration (PAPR) system. The hoods receive filtered and pressured air through a hose, so doctors and nurses can breathe freely without inhaling germs from the outside. But hospitals were running low on stock.